Tour Details
Duration
3 hours
Product Type
Tour
Venues
- West India House
- Amsterdam Canal Belt
Photos & Highlights
- Discover the Dutch Golden Age on Amsterdam walking tour
- Led by a local historian
Select a date
Tour Description
As you wander along the streets of Amsterdam, it is impossible to escape the influence of seafaring trade and the influence it has had on the city. The endless charm of the canals, which brings visitors to the city today, is a direct result of the trade history of the city.
When you meet your expert guide at the West India House, they will immediately transport you to the 1600s in Amsterdam, when the building was the headquarters of the Dutch West India Company. They will paint the picture of the circumstances around some of the most important decisions made in the building, from various trade endeavors to the idea to start a small colony on an island called Manhattan.
As you move away from the economic center, your guide will weave stories together about the domestic and social lives of the upper classes in the Jordaan neighborhood, home to some of the more beautiful and well-preserved canal houses.
You will eventually find yourself in the middle of the canal belt, the perfect backdrop to consider how the development of the canal system has radically determined the city of Amsterdam has become. As you end your time with your expert guide, you will have a deep understanding of how the Dutch Golden Age set the stage for the city that is Amsterdam today.
Experts
- Amsterdam Canal Belt
- West India House
- If you are deeply curious about history and want to learn about how trade, power, and art intersected during the 17th century to produce the so-called Dutch Golden Age.
- You want to get out of the main tourist drag of Amsterdam and explore charming districts without the crowds.
- You like to come home from your trips with intriguing new facts and tidbits to share with your friends.
Tickets
This tour does not include any interior venues, therefore, no tickets are needed.
Additional Trip-Planning Resources
- For more information on planning your travels to the Netherlands, take a read through our Context Stories.
- Is this tour suitable for kids? This tour isn’t part of our family program, but we do have some family-friendly guides who lead this tour and will be able to adjust the content for kids (pending their availability).
- Is this tour suitable for people with mobility issues? This tour covers a fair amount of ground, and while Amsterdam is mostly very flat, the streets can get very busy, and there are bridges that may be a challenge for people with mobility issues. If you have any mobility concerns, please get in touch with our client services team, and we will be happy to advise you further.
Book with confidence — see Context's flexible cancellation policy here.
Where You'll Start
–
239 Reviews
Reviews can only be left by Context customers after they have completed a tour. For more information about our reviews, please see our FAQ.
With Claire - very personable & comfortable with our group. My eldest daughter said it was a perfect start of the trip to orient her to the city (we arrived the day before). Claire covered a very good mix of architecture & history. She made a point of reviewing her tour plan with Erin to ensure she wouldn't repeat what Erin was going to cover -- but also provided insight into items Erin was going to cover from the perspective of the I&E tour. Having the two tours connected like that provided greater overall depth and understanding for our group.
William
Reviewed on:
Jun 2, 2014
IT was mostly about development of the canals and some special places in Amsterdam. Not much information about the investors and explorers. Also, places far apart and as it was our 5th day in Amsterdam, so repetitive. Docent was organized and pleasant but did not give us the tour as described. She was substitute.
Judy
Reviewed on:
May 5, 2014
I took part as a trainee docent. The route worked well and the docent (Erin) was very helpful and knowledgeable. There were plenty of stops at which explanations were given and the route was shown on the map. I learnt a lot from Erin.
There was no coffee stop as the participants were keen to keep moving; they also asked lots of questions. One drawback was the fairground noise on Dam Square, but that was unavoidable at this time of year.
Sophie
Reviewed on:
May 2, 2014
